


Number Neighbors

by LonelyThursday



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Getting Together, Humor, M/M, OT3, based on a tumblr prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 10:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20357104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LonelyThursday/pseuds/LonelyThursday
Summary: Albert is bored at work when he receives a text from his number neighbor, he doesn't have anything better to do so he texts back. This could be fun!





	Number Neighbors

**Author's Note:**

> the texting between just Race and Albert is something I saw on tumblr tagged with "imagine your OTP" and I saw it and thought "that's my OT3 right there"

Thursday’s are very boring for Albert. He doesn’t have any classes, and the Michael’s that he works at is usually very dead in the middle of the week, so he’s just sitting at the checkout counter staring off into the deep recesses of the empty craft store. Albert’s phone buzzing is the most interesting thing to happen to him in the last two hours. When he checks it, he’s gotten a text from an unknown person

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _Hey number neighbor!_

Albert stares at the text for a moment before deciding he might as well answer. It’s not like there’s anyone in the store anyway. 

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _What’s that?_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _We have the same number except for the last digit, mine is one lower than yours_

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _Oh… cool I guess_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _Yeah! So that means we’re number neighbors!_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _So do you like spaghetti?_

Once again, Albert is a little dumbfounded by his “number neighbor”, but he’s bored and so far, this mystery person seems harmless. 

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _I ducking love spaghetti!_

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _*fucking_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _Dude that’s awesome!_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _My other number neighbor hates spaghetti :(_

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _Well has he ever had it with garlic bread?_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _I dunno I’ll ask_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _No he never has_

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _Tell him to try it with garlic bread_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _Ok brb_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _He said he doesn’t like garlic_

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:**  
_Doesn’t like garlic?  
What is he… a vampire?_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _I dunno brb_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _He says he’s not a vampire_

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _That’s exactly what a vampire would say_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _You’re so right_

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _I want to talk to this guy_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _Gimme a sec_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6 added (917)-XXX-XXX7 and (917)-XXX-XXX5 to a new chat**

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _There! Gangs all here_

**(917)-XXX-XXX5:  
** _Can’t you just leave me alone_

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _No we have to talk about this spaghetti thing_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _Yeah 7’s right!_

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _7?_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _I don’t know your name _

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _No offense, but I’m not giving my name to some rando I don’t know_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:**  
_That’s fair  
We’ll use nicknames then_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _You can call me Race!_

**(917)-XXX-XXX7:  
** _Call me Red I guess_

**(917)-XXX-XXX5:  
** _Please leave me alone_

**(917)-XXX-XXX6:  
** _No! Now give us a nickname for you or we’ll make our own_

**(917)-XXX-XXX5:**  
_Ugh fine  
Call me Spot_

Albert smiles as he adds Race and Spot as contacts in his phone. 

**Me:  
** _Now back to this spaghetti thing_

**Spot:  
** _Look I just don’t like spaghetti_

**Spot:  
** _It’s no big deal_

**Race:  
** _It’s a HUGE deal Spotty!_

**Me:  
** _Spaghetti is the BEST bro_

**Race:**  
_You should try my spaghetti  
I promise you’ll love it _

**Spot:  
** _I’m not gonna try some rando’s spaghetti_

**Me:**  
_Well then meet up beforehand  
Then he won’t be a rando_

**Spot:  
** _Do YOU know him_

**Me:  
** _Well no…_

**Race:  
** _Guys, I’m a delight! I promise_

**Me:  
** _Dude I’d meet you_

**Spot:  
** _One of you is a murderous psychopath_

**Race:  
** _Not me_

**Race:  
** _Red?_

**Me:  
** _Me neither_

**Race:** _  
Then it’s settled! Do you guys live in NYC_

**Me:  
** _Hell yeah_

**Spot:  
** _The only reason I’ll admit that I do is because so many people live here that you murderers will never find me_

**Race:**  
_Cool! Meet me Saturday 1pm at this cafe by Central Park called Central Perk_

**Race: **  
_I’ll be the blond one with the red carnation_

**Me: ** _  
Cool. I’ll be the redhead in the Team Instinct SnapBack _

**Spot:  
** _I’m not telling you what I look like, but if I decide you don’t look like murderers then I’ll let you know_

**Race:**  
_Sounds like a plan!  
See you guys then!_

Albert sets his phone down, but he can’t seem to keep the smile off his face. _Finally, something exciting!_

When Saturday comes, Albert makes sure he’s showered and dressed in actually clean clothes, not just his least smelly clothes from the floor, and tops it all off with his Team Instinct SnapBack as promised. 

Rationally he knows that going to meet with two randos he doesn’t know is risky, but he’s got a good feeling about Race and Spot. The three had continued to text after deciding to meet up, Race is hilarious, and Albert’s pretty sure that Spot is only _acting _annoyed at them. He hopes so anyway. 

“Wow, clean clothes and everything.” His roommate, Finch, teases when he sees Albert. “Hot date?”

Finch raises his eyebrows suggestively and Albert just snorts.

“No, I’m just meeting some friends for coffee.” Maybe he should tell Finch that he’s meeting up with strangers, but he knows that Finch wouldn’t approve. 

“Riiiight, _‘friends’, _I gotcha.” Albert rolls his eyes, might as well just let him think what he wants. “Be safe, use condoms, don't drink and drive!”

_“Goodbye_ Finch.” Albert says pointedly has he slams the door closed. _Yes,_ it’s been awhile since he’s been on a date, but this _isn’t_ a date, he’s just going to go meet his number neighbor and his number neighbor’s spaghetti hating number neighbor. Not a date. At all. Nope. 

Albert’s never been to Central Perk before, but the inside is very charming. None of the furniture seems to match, and yet it all somehow _goes. _It’s welcoming and feels like home, but nothing is more welcoming than the red carnation he sees attached to perhaps the _hottest_ guy Albert has ever seen. The guy is tall and lithe; his blond curls seem to _glow_ in the dimly lit cafe. His blue-green plaid shirt does _wonders _to bring out his eyes, and just the _way_ his face lights up when he notices Albert… 

Albert is so _fucked. _

“Red!” He yells, attracting stares from the other patrons, but he doesn’t care. He’s grinning at Albert like Albert hung the moon, and Albert can’t help but return the grin. 

“Race!” He yells just as loud; he doesn’t care about people’s stares either. 

The two of them collide in the middle of the cafe and fall to the ground wrapped in a tight hug. They’ve never met before but this feels familiar. Albert’s not usually one for meeting new people, but he just feels like he’s known Race since forever. 

Their moment is interrupted by another guy, around their age, coming up to them. From their position on the ground, the guy looks super tall, that combined with his _gorgeous_ muscular arms makes him look pretty imposing.

“And here I thought you two were going to be murderers,” he says in a thick Brooklyn accent. “You’re just a couple of twinks.”

“We’re not twinks!” Albert cries indignantly. What’s with today and meeting hot guys? Seriously, this guy is hot, and Albert... is on the floor… that’s not great, but at least his shirt’s clean. 

“Speak for yourself,” Race says to him before turning to Spot. _“Helloooo_ tall, dark, and handsome.”

Spot rolls his eyes and offers them both a hand up. When Albert gets to standing he realizes that “dark” and “handsome” _are_ accurate words for Spot, but “tall”... not so much, as Albert is nearly a head taller than him, and Race is well over that. 

“Oh.” Race says. 

“Problem?” While short, Spot looks like he could easily take Race in a fight. 

“You were a lot taller a second ago.”

“You were on the floor a second ago. I can put you back there if you’d like.” Spot offers, which only causes Race’s grin to widen. 

“At least buy a guy dinner first, Spotty.” Race winks and Spot’s whole face goes red; Albert’s face goes slightly pink at the implication too. 

It’s easy after that, like meeting up with old friends that you haven’t talked to in years but you still share a bond with. Race fills most of the time with constant chatter about himself, but somehow he’s not obnoxious about it, and he always follows up a personal story by asking Albert or Spot about themselves. Spot doesn’t talk a whole lot, but he openly offers small tokens of physical affection and his smiles come easily once he’s had a chance to warm up to them. Albert hopes he’s left as good of an impression on them as they did on him, but he can’t help the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that says they would have gotten along better without him there. 

Eventually the barista tells them that it’s closing time and they have to leave, it’s only then that they realize that they’ve been talking for four hours straight.

“I had fun today, Albie, Spotty,” Race pulls them each into a hug and gives them both a quick peck on the cheek. 

It turns out that Albert was the only one to give them a name other than what they usually go by, as both Spot and Race are normally referred to as Spot and Race by their respective friends. 

“Me too.” Albert says genuinely, and Spot mutters an agreement. 

“I hope that next time you’re both comfortable enough to come to my place, I’ll make spaghetti.”

“I hate spaghetti.” Spot reminds Race, though by now he and Albert both know that that will do nothing to deter the blond. 

“You’ve never tried my spaghetti.” Race pats his head somewhat condescendingly, but they all know it’s meant as a joke. Spot only grunts in response. 

The three of them stand on the sidewalk, each unwilling to be the first to walk away, but eventually Race takes a step back. 

“I should get going, but you two better text me later.” He points his finger threateningly at the other two before nodding, turning on his heels, and walking away. Spot and Albert watch him go for a moment before Spot turns to Albert.

“See ya.” He says simply, but he pulls Albert into a tight hug. _Damn_ Spot gives good hugs. 

Without further ado, Spot walks away in the opposite direction of Race, and Albert can’t help but watch him go. 

By the time Albert gets back to his apartment, Finch is making himself dinner, and by dinner he means a microwave Mac n cheese bowl. 

“Wow you’re back!” Finch says in way of greeting. “Did you use protection?”

“Shut up Finch! It wasn’t a date.” Albert’s face must match his hair, but he’s trying to ignore it. 

“Yeah well your dumb grin says otherwise, so who were you with? Ya like ‘em? Do I know them? They have any hot friends?” Finch questions faster than Albert can really keep track of. 

“You don’t know either of them, and I wouldn’t know if they had any hot friends, but statistically speaking, they probably each have at least one.”

“Ooh _two people!_ Which one do you like?” Albert’s face goes red again as he thinks of Spot’s cute smile, and Race’s sparkling eyes. 

“I think I like both of them.” Albert whispers, half-hoping Finch won’t hear. 

“Like polyamory?” At Albert’s nod, Finch abandons his Mac n cheese in favor of pulling Albert into a hug. _“Aww Bertie!”_

“Don’t call me that!” Albert struggles to get out of Finch’s hold, but Finch just holds tighter. 

“My little Bertie’s all grown up,” he pretends to wipe a tear from his eye before finally releasing Albert. “So, tell me about them.”

Albert tells him about the whole “number neighbors” thing, and about the meeting in the coffee shop, and when he’s done, Finch is staring at him like he’s an idiot. 

“You get texts from a _random number_ and you just decide to meet them!?” Oh right, this is why he didn’t tell Finch earlier. 

“Yes.”

“I can’t tell if this is the beginning of a cheesy romcom, or a horror movie.” Finch sighs, rubbing his temples like Albert had given him a headache, which he probably did. “Well I hope you get two boyfriends instead of me losing one roommate.”

It’s several weeks before Race, Spot, and Albert can meet up at Race’s apartment, the three have continued to text, and Albert and Race meet up almost every day to get lunch between classes, and Spot brings Albert coffee as soon as he gets off work, but their three schedules hadn’t ever all lined up. 

Now Albert is sitting on the couch in Race’s apartment after the blond had kicked both him and Spot out of the kitchen for eating the sauce when his back was turned. Albert’s watching a documentary on Netflix about whales intently, and, unbeknownst to Albert, Spot, is watching Albert. The ginger is just so absorbed in the whales, and Spot is mesmerized. Eventually Albert turns to Spot to see if he found the whales just as fascinating as Albert did when Spot leans forward and presses their lips together. 

Albert doesn’t react, and after a few seconds, Spot pulls away. 

“Sorry.” Spot whispers, hoping he hasn’t ruined anything. 

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.” Albert.exe has stopped working.

They both sit in silence, just staring at each other for a minute.

“Do it again.” Albert whispers quietly, not sure what he wants other than to do that _again. _

“What?”

“Do it again.” Albert says, louder and with more conviction. 

Spot doesn’t move for a beat, but suddenly Albert finds himself with a lap full of Spot, and Spots hands on his cheeks. Spot’s kissing him again, but this time, Albert kisses back. Albert’s hands find their way to Spot’s hips. _Why would they ever stop doing this?_

“Food’s read- oh.”

_Oh yeah, that’s why. _

Albert accidentally pushes Spot off of him in shock, causing Spot to fall onto the floor between the couch and the ottoman as he whips around to face Race, who’s in the doorway to the kitchen. Race is frozen in the doorway, a wooden spoon in his hand, mouth agape. 

“Heeey Race.” Spot says slowly, clearly he’s not sure what to do in this situation either. It must snap Race out of his stupor though, because he shuts his mouth and moves more into the living room. 

“Is there room for three here, or is this a private affair?” Race asks with his usual bravado, but Albert can see the doubt in his eyes.

Albert glances at Spot, hoping that they’re both on the same page about this, even though they have not talked about this _at all._ Spot returns the look, and somehow, Albert knows the message.

“Always.” Spot says at the same time Albert says “totally.”

Race grins. “Great, but first I have to blow. Your. Mind.” 

Race disappears back into the kitchen and when he comes back, he’s got one bowl of spaghetti, which he hands to Spot. 

“What about me?” Albert ask, somewhat petulantly. 

“You’ll get some in a minute, first, we convert Spot to the way of Spaghetti.” Race shushes him, not taking his eyes off Spot. 

Spot’s still on the ground, he’s looking at the spaghetti a little warily. Race leans over the back of the couch so that he can hook his chin over Albert’s head. Both Albert and Race watch Spot intently until the Brooklyn boy gives in and tries the pasta.

“Well?” Race asks after a minute of silence. 

“You’ve convinced me,” Spot admits. “This is the best pasta I’ve ever had.”

“Hell yeah!”

“Told you.”

“Now about the garlic bread…” Spot just glares at Albert. 

“I already told you: I don’t like garlic!”

“Oh right, the vampire thing.”

“I’m _not_ a vampire!” Albert just laughs as he follows Race into the kitchen to get his own bowl. 

The three of them end up all sitting on the couch with their spaghetti watching the rest of Albert’s whale documentary. Albert’s the only one actually watching the documentary, but Spot and Race are both enjoying watching Albert enjoy the whales. 

When the documentary ends, Race shuts the TV off and turns to face the others. 

“So…” he starts. 

“So…” Spot repeats. Albert says nothing but he does raise an eyebrow. 

“So you two were kissing.”

“Yep.” Answers Albert. 

“So are you two…?”

“That was the first time we’ve done that; it’s not like we were hiding anything from you.” Spot explains. 

“And you both want me to-“

“Yes!” Albert might be embarrassed about how quickly he answered if Spot hadn’t answered just as fast. 

“Good!” Race grins, leaning over Albert to kiss Spot, then Albert, before leaning back again. 

“I think this could work.” Albert says, unable to stop smiling. 

“Yeah.” Race throws his arm over Albert’s shoulders and swings his legs up so that his feet are in Spot’s lap. “I think this could.”

Spot sighs, but he’s smiling too. 

Best number neighbors ever. 

**Author's Note:**

> I COULD have made up my own coffee house, but I've been bingeing FRIENDS sooo... Central Perk


End file.
